SEPTEMBER 2026

During my 2023 visit to Yorkshire Lavender we passed by Castle Howard and I immediately regretted not visiting. So when I was back in the York area in 2026, visiting this castle was on top of my list. On a glorious Friday in August I got to visit this gorgeous castle with my mom and son. The summer of 2026 had been one of the driest summers in years and the drought was even visible in usually rainy Yorkshire. Luckily the gardens of Castle Howard were still in bloom and only the grass had gotten yellow. If you are looking for a beautiful garden during the height of summer I highly recommend going up to northern England and Scotland, as you will find that there still is lots in bloom in this area. Besides a beautiful garden you will also be treated to an intriguing castle and a great playground, making Castle Howard a great visit with (young) kids as well.

Practical information

If you want to visit Castle Howard this is possible from the end of March until the end of October, while the grounds are open for most of the year. Usually, the house also opens over the Christmas period, with special Christmas displays. Please check the official website for the actual opening hours. You will want to visit during gardening season, as the gardens are very spectacular. We visited in August and the summer borders were looking great. I highly recommend visiting Castle Howard at a moment when the gardens are in bloom. If you buy your tickets online, they are about £ 27. I believe this is cheaper than at the door. This is still a high price, but you can easily spend a full day at Castle Howard. The interior is definitely worth a visit too and you can book a timeslot with your ticket. Castle Howard features several restaurants, one near the entrance, one near the house and one at the children’s playground. We had lunch at the restaurant next to the house and we had a very healthy and delicious meal. There is plenty of free parking near the entrance.

Castle Howard

Castle Howard found fame for being the filming location of Brideshead Revisited (tv-series & film) and I discovered that Bridgerton recently filmed there as well. It was built as an 18^th-century Baroque stately home and has belonged to the Howard family for over 300 years.  The interiors feature a spectacular entrance with a marble stairs, a Baroque dome, a private chapel and gorgeous rooms overlooking the gardens. If you enter with kids you receive a puzzle challenge and you can do little assignments in the rooms. This definitely made my son very invested in the castle and he was super proud when he finished all the puzzles. It took us just over an hour to visit all the rooms. We found the castle gorgeous and unique, but also a bit moody and cold.

The gardens

The gardens and grounds are divided into different sections. I found the walled gardens to be the most interesting, but the sections with the hedges, fountains and the views of the castle were great as well. The walled gardens featured lots of verbena, dahlias and roses when we visited in the middle of summer. They are subdivided into gardens with different color themes and walking through them you will be surprised at the changes of scenery. Make sure to factor in enough time for a visit if you love gardens. We got stuck in traffic and arrived at 1PM. This gave us about four hours to explore everything, which was way too little time. We therefore had to skip the walk to the Temple of the Four Winds and we could only admire it from afar.

Castle Howard with kids

Castle Howard is a great visit with kids as well. We found that Hugo was warmly received at the castle itself and he loved the puzzle challenges. Of course there is a great playground as well. The adventure playground and Skelf Island are a hidden treasure in the forest and you can easily spend two hours over here. Lots of picknick benches if you want to bring a lunch yourself. If you are tired from all the walking, there is a little train which can bring you from the entrance to the house and the playground.

Chatsworth House vs Castle Howard

During our 2026 trip we also visited Chatsworth House. I found both castles to be similar in terms of what they offer: a gorgeous house with a timed entry, extensive grounds and gardens, several restaurants and a grand playing area. I would recommend spending a day at both, but if you had to choose, I slightly preferred Castle Howard. I found the exterior of Castle Howard to be more photogenic and the gardens were more spectacular. However, I preferred the interior of Chatsworth House, as it felt more warm and cozy. Both playgrounds were good and Chatsworth also had an animal farm, but it was incredibly crowded, while Skelf Island at Castle Howard felt more relaxed.